Programme details

Title: Creating a Global Brand for your Local LSPSpeaker: David M. Smith President, LinguaLinx Language Solutions, Inc.abstract: Given recent trends of consolidation and acquisition, there are a handful of companies that have become synonymous with language services, though hundreds, if not thousands of LSPs exist and provide valuable, unique solutions in their own right. This presentation will address some of the ways in which you can build brand, locally, nationally and globally, while focusing on ways to differentiate yourself and compete in an industry that seems dominated by a handful of companies. From increasing sales through grass roots marketing tactics, to identifying your unique selling point and creating a branding strategy that's right for you, we will discuss ways to grow your business and gain increased recognition and exposure without having to spend a fortune. Finally, we will touch on some of the prevalent technological issues facing us, some of the solutions that exist and how we can leverage competitors' consolidation to our advantage.Title: Quality Assurance Models and Assessment of Translationx An attempt to measure the impossible or simply translators' everyday work?Speaker: Eva-Maria Leitner mss language solutionsabstract: Methods of objective translation assessment are a crucial issue for Translation Service Providers and translators. But how can this task be approached in the most objective way? This presentation will cover existing models explaining their background and discussing their pros and cons. It will focus on useful benchmarks and the various approaches to dealing with existing constrains and issues in the context of the translation service providers business environment.Title: Microsoft Office localization: use of language and translation technologySpeaker: Dag Schmidtke PM, Microsoft, Irelandabstract: This talk presents the translation tools and technologies used for Microsoft Office localization. We will share some of our experience with large-scale translation projects, and also look at the use of translation memory and machine translation.Title :Multimodal resourcing - adding flexibility to efficiencySpeaker: Rudy Tirry Country Manager of Lionbridge Technologies - Belgiumabstract: In a global company such as Lionbridge, a one-size-fits-all approach to resourcing - traditionally aimed at maximizing efficiency - is showing its limitations. A diversified client base, evolving project types and markets at different stages of maturity naturally lead to an approach that takes advantage of all available sources and channels of professional resources. Employees, contractors, freelance translators, agencies, communities... they all require different sourcing channels and development methods. At the same time, service and quality as well as overall cost-effectiveness must remain at comparable levels, which led to the development of global procedures rules and methodologies that are now used in Lionbridge offices all over the world.Title: Benchmarks and Metrics for Managing a Translation Company or DepartmentSpeaker: André Pellet Chief Operating Officer (COO), Proz.comabstract: Metrics and benchmarks are critical to the success of any organization. Without metrics, we cannot answer "How well is my company doing?" or "How can I improve my performance?". Only through defined metrics can a company set targets and measure performance against those targets, and make informed decisions. Today, the concept of a "Culture of Numbers" is beginning to take hold in the language industry. In this phenomenon, the idea of determining what to measure, how to measure it, and what are the targets reaches beyond the management team to the entire organization. Key metrics are required for sales, operations, project management, and production and translation teams. Incentive and bonus programs are organized around tracking the actual to the target results at a department level, and at a company level. This way, staff, management and even partners are all aligned and focused on delivering on the same key performance indicators. This session will focus on identifying what key metrics should be used in each business area, how to set business targets based on these metrics, and how to measure to these targets. What are the basic metrics, KPI's and benchmarks? How can a culture of numbers be harnessed in your organization? When and how should the numbers be evaluated, and adjustments made? How can business managers use metrics and benchmarks to improve their performance and develop their organization?Title: TM European Translation and Localisation Market Report Speaker: Peter ReynoldsCEO and translation management consultant at TM-Global/MAart.abstract: More details to follow

Title: Process Management - Real Issues We All FaceSpeaker: Tom ConnollyProject Management Consultant and Trainerabstract:This presentation explains the basic premises behind process management (audit, design, mapping, choosing the appropriate software and reports etc.). Case-studies will be examined which point out the importance of good information and data being fed into a well designed processes. Tools are only as good as the information and data they are fed but also that processes (any processes) have to be managed properly and there are methodologies and tools out there that help managers to deal with this.

Title: A Freelancer's Perspective on the Industry Speaker: Terence OliverFreelance Technical Translator & FIT Representativeabstract:Freelance translators theoretically have great freedom of choice in their activities: how much they do, whom they work for, how they go about it, what subject areas they focus on, how much they charge, whether they team up with colleagues, and so on. This very personal view of how freelancers can survive in today’s translation market considers some of the constraints that limit this freedom and some of the reasons for the choices translators make. At the same time it asks questions about the ideal client (direct clients and translation companies), and examines how freelancers and clients can learn from each other. After briefly considering what role training and CPD play in this system, this presentation attempts to draw up a few basic principles and explore issues for the ongoing dialogue between market players.

Title: The Warsaw Pact - Relationship between Translation Service Providers and Freelance Translators – Vendor Management Panel DiscussionSpeakers: André Pellet Chief Operating Officer (COO), Proz.comGrzegorz Wójcik Managing Director, MagitKrzysztof Zabrzeski STP (Association of Polish Translators and Interpreters)Olga Blasco Director, Global Language Services & Germany Operations, WelocalizeRudy Tirry Country Manager of Lionbridge Technologies - BelgiumTerence OliverFreelance Technical Translator & FIT Representativeabstract: The Warsaw Pact Debate is a panel discussion about the relationship between translation agencies and freelance vendors. The panel discussion will be the finale of the TM-Europe 2008 conference We have three people representing translation agencies of different size (Lionbridge, Magit, Welocalize) and three translators with a lot of experience and a lot of intelligent opinions. Andre Pellet of Proz.com will be chairing the debate. We are hoping that this debate proves to be a very positive discussion on how agencies and vendors talk about their issues openly, seek consensus and work together to develop the whole industry and standards rather than simply focus on their differences.

Programme Committee

The programme committee for the TM-Europe 2008 Conference is: Reinhard Schaler of the LRC Krzysztof Przyłucki of PSBT and BTInfo Monika Popiołek of PSBT and MAart Agency Peter Reynolds of TM-Global

Conference Organisers

TM-Europe 2011 is also the Annual Conference of the PSBT (Polish Association of Translation Companies) who are the patrons of the conference